It's go time for Flyers as season arrives

VOORHEES, N.J. --- If it hasn’t been installed yet, it won’t. If it hasn’t been tried in the last six days, it’s too late. If it is in, and it is working, then fine. If it is in, and it is not, then too bad.

Those are the coaching realizations that hit Peter Laviolette early Friday when his six-day training camp ended with a short practice and the deep mystery of a short NHL season about to start.

With no exhibition games --- but with a freshened CBA with the players --- the Flyers will open at 3:30 Saturday against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ready … or almost ready.

“I think the guys came into camp looking really good,” Laviolette said. “There was a lot of familiarity with what we were doing, so there wasn’t a lot of questions. There seemed to be a sync and a rhythm out there. But ultimately it comes down to the game and getting ready for that and the execution, what you are trying to do. Little things. Discipline. We need to cut back on minor penalties. We can’t be undisciplined and go to the box.”

Advertisement

That might have been a forecast for on-ice sloppiness --- a strong possibility, given a lengthy lockout and a speedy training camp. But if so, all teams will be so challenged, and the Flyers are convinced that their minimal-frills offseason will be to their early-season benefit.

“I think we have a good team,” general manager Paul Holmgren said. “I think when you’re looking at the schedule with 48 games in 99 days or whatever, we are in for a wild ride and there’s three or four big factors. The three off the top of my head: You’ve got to be healthy, you need good goaltending and I think you need young legs and depth.”

The Flyers will be without Danny Briere, who according to Holmgren will need at least until next week to recover from a hairline fracture in his wrist. Also, former captain Chris Pronger remains on the long-term injury list with concussion issues. But Holmgren is “95 percent” certain that defenseman Andrej Meszaros will play Saturday after recovering from an offseason Achilles injury.

As for that good goaltending? Well … maybe. In other words, it is still quirky Ilya Bryzgalov.

“There’s a lot of quirky people,” Scott Hartnell said. “I guess he might be an easy guy to pick on for you guys because he’s there every day and he does what he does. He’s a goalie in Philadelphia and he’s got a big target on his back. I think hopefully he can stay out of the radar and work hard. And we respect him for being the guy he is.

“He’s going to be our No. 1 and the reason why we’re successful this year.”

That’s the plan.

But was there enough time for that plan to be installed?

“I think guys get tired of practicing,” Laviolette said. “I do think they get tired of listening. And there is a lot of meetings. We find ourselves in a short camp like this in a lot of meetings, going over some video, going over things on a board, addressing things, situations, whatever it might be.

“Players are meant to play games. They have enough information. I don’t expect it to be perfect, but I expect them to have a knowledge of what we are trying to be. In the end, I don’t necessarily think it is what we put on the table that will determine the outcome of the game. I think it always comes down to heart and passion. And that’s what makes a difference. It is me against you. Do you know what I mean? That’s what determines victories, not systems or anything other than that.”

So whatever system is in, it is in. And whatever players are ready, are ready. And whatever quirks the goaltender has, those are the quirks the goaltender has.

Go?

“I think a group comes together, whether it is changed or unchanged, and ultimately has to make its way,” Laviolette said. “I am sure there are lots of teams with big ambitions today and big dreams. And we’re no different. But ultimately, you have to go out on the ice on a regular basis and prove to be worthy of that dream or that ambition. And some will do it and some won’t.

“I think we are fast. I think we are big. We’re strong. I think we will be a good hockey team. But that doesn’t mean anything. The proof will be in the pudding when we play. And from there, we will have to move forward regardless of the result and continue to work at it and improve on it.”